Abstract

Idolatry is a fundamental component of the debate on sacred images in Byzantium and has engendered considerable discussion among modern scholars, but the actual representation of idols in art still remains to be investigated in depth. This paper focuses on one particular aspect of the visualization of idolatry in Byzantine art, namely the use of idol images in relationship to Gospel iconography. Through a wide-ranging overview of different artistic media, this paper examines the different ways in which Byzantine artists employed images of idols to emphasize specific narrative passages or to convey theological content more effectively.